Monday, December 10, 2007

Prayers, Ice, and Books

It's hard to imagine we are dealing with another ice storm. It seems like we just got out of the wintry mess and now here we go again. Sadly, this storm has produced deaths and damages. My prayers go out to those who lost loved ones on the roads and to the people of Jones who lost their high school to fire early this morning.

There is a regularly scheduled school board meeting tonight in Jones. The board will have some tough decisions to make. I listened to the principal on TV this morning. It will be difficult for kids, teachers, and the community to get over this disaster and get back into the proper flow of school.

I can't imagine what it would be like to lose the school I taught at and all the teaching materials I collected over the years. The high school teachers will have a challenging road ahead and I will keep you informed of how you can help. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Because many of us will be spending time at home with kids, I hope that we can take the time to share time and a book or two with them. Today is a great opportunity to model reading for pleasure to your children. Find a favorite author and spend some time reading. And while I talk about it, I want you to know I'm also walking the walk. I've recently finished "Simple Genius" and "Stone Cold" by David Baldacci and "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller. I'm currently reading "The Legend of Baggar Vance" by Steven Pressfield.

All of us can find books we can enjoy for pleasure. Please pass on this great gift to your loved ones.